The new European Parliament must insist on a constitutional Convention after the elections to oversee future treaty change

One of the key distinctions between the 2014 European Parliament elections and previous elections has been the selection of formal candidates for President of the European Commission by several European political families prior to the vote. Andrew Duff writes that while this may have created a more ‘European’ focus to the campaign in mainland Europe, the impact in the UK has been less visible, with the elections viewed as a rehearsal for a potential referendum on EU membership. He argues that the real issue at stake in these elections is the future direction of the integration process and that David Cameron’s reform plans will have to sit alongside a wider agenda of treaty change aimed at deeper fiscal integration and the creation of a new form of federal polity. The new Parliament should therefore insist on calling a constitutional Convention and candidates should be clear about where they stand on these issues.